Impossible
by Serpentine-Moon
Summary: Vicki always has to be impossible and stubborn.  Mike confronts feelings he doesn't want to face.  Henry wants to fight...a fish?


Okay, this is after all the Norman stuff.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Blood Ties stuff, and I don't own MirrorMask or the fabulous riddle. And I don't have any money, so suing me would only cost you cash.

Summary: Vicki always has to be impossible and stubborn. Mike confronts feelings he doesn't want to face. Henry wants to fight...a fish?

Please enjoy and review.

Impossible

Vicki glared at her current enemy number one, arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently against the tiled kitchen floor. She was the only woman in the world that could look intimidating in a pair of blue flannel pajamas with a cow on them and the phrase "got milk". "Henry Richmond Fitzroy, you have a hell of a lot of explaining to do!" she snapped. He attempted a tough exterior, glaring back, but she didn't falter.

"Uh..boo?" he shrugged, trying to lessen the severe amount of trouble he was in.

"Why the hell are you here? It's three in the god-damned morning, you bastard!"

"I..."

"Not only that, you woke ME up after I told you I have been on that case night and day for over a week! I'm exhausted and now I'm pissed! I and uh had better not be the best you can do!"

"I haven't been able to see you all week, I just wanted to stop by and see how you were. I didn't mean to wake you. It's not even my fault, really. I didn't know Coreen had moved the desk and I wasn't watching where I was going, I tripped."

"Yeah, and made one hell of a racket! I'll see you tomorrow night, but go away." she was whining now. He nodded and left. Vicki went back into her bedroom and to sleep.

VHM

Vicki refilled her coffee mug and smiled. She'd slept all day and felt so much better. She had showered and pulled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. There was a tentative knock at the door, quiet and slow. She opened it and saw Henry. "Hey, come on in." she smiled. He just looked at her. "What?"

"You're in a much better mood tonight." he seemed relieved.

"I slept and I have coffee. The sky could fall. I'm happy. Come on." she closed the door when he walked in. "So, what've you been doing?"

"Not much. Working. I'm halfway through next weeks edition."

"That sounds fun." she said, nodding.

"Who are you and what did you do with Vicki?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Very cute. Can't I be in a good mood? I'm not always an evil beasty. I have good days."

"Once in a blue moon."

"HEY!" she smiled.

"See? Normal Vicki would've hit me."

"You're just putting a damper on the whole night, buster." she made a face at him.

"One of us has to be impossible."

"Yes, well, it doesn't suit you." she shrugged. He smiled, shaking his head. There was another knock on the door and she opened it. "Mike." she beamed. The detective came in and looked at Henry.

"Fitzroy."

"Detective."

"Men." Vicki took the dvd from Mike's hand and went into the apartment part of the residence. Henry shook his head.

"Does she flip like this often?"

"No. Only after a really long case, followed by sleep."

"I'll have to remember that. What movie did you get?"

"I dunno. I didn't bother to read the title. It looked odd. I figured she'd enjoy it."

"Are you two gonna talk about me all night or come watch the movie?" she came back into the doorway and they looked at her. "Come on. One night together won't kill you guys."

They followed her and ended up sitting on either side of her on the couch. Mike had ordered a pizza on the way over, so they had something to eat, except Henry. They watched the movie in silence, some animation flick called MirrorMask. Mike had a constant frown of confusion on his face and kept saying the dumbest things ("It's a riddle, you can't say the herring whistles to throw the thing off.") and Henry seemed to enjoy it, shooting back remarks at Mike ("None of this movie is logical, why should the riddle be?")

At the end, they looked at Vicki. Her head was slumped against Henry's shoulder and her legs were tucked up in Mike's lap. They both smiled down at her. "I'll carry her to bed." Henry offered quietly. Mike nodded and followed the vampire.

"She hates sleeping in jeans." he said, pulling a pair of flannel pajama pants from the dresser. The men looked at each other. "I've seen the show, you haven't. Out." he instructed. Henry's eyes narrowed, but he left the room. Mike came out shortly after and Henry looked in the doorway. She looked so peaceful, a serene smile lit by the moonlight and the covers pulled up to her chin. He turned back to Mike.

"So..."

"So..."

An awkward silence filled the apartment and the men just stood there, glancing into the bedroom every few minutes. Mike broke the silence. "Uh...how are those...comic book things coming along?"

"I prefer the term graphic novels. And it's going fine. And your police work?"

"Great. Going fine. I-uh...read your graphic novels. You've got quite the talent for...gore."

"Thanks."

Silence. Henry glanced into the room. Mike followed his gaze and he looked back into the office. Mike looked into the office and Henry looked back into the room. They didn't notice Vicki was watching them, both simply avoiding awkward conversation. After about twenty minutes, she rolled her eyes.

"Why is it men are such thickheads?" she sat up. They looked at her.

"You're awake." Henry smiled.

"Hey, Vic." Mike nodded.

"So, I go to sleep and you two can't have a descent conversation?" she stood and pulled on her glasses.

"Vicki, we don't have anything in common. What would we talk about?" Mike rolled his eyes. Vicki snorted.

"Nothing in common? Are you kidding me? You two have more in common than I have with either of you, you're just both too macho to be friends."

"I'm not too macho." Henry said defensively.

"Then why can't you have a conversation with another person?"

"Because it's a matter of principle."

"Really? You have a private rule about talking to other people?"

"No. Just certain people."

"That go for you, too?" she looked at Mike. He nodded, slow and unsure. "Fine. I'll have to fix this myself." she went into the kitchen and they followed.

"Fix what?"

"Nothing either of you need concern your pretty little heads about. Just go on about ignoring each other so I can plan."

"Plan what?" Mike was atleast two shades paler than normal and Henry seemed like he was ready to run. Vicki smiled pleasantly, sending chills up both men's spines.

"You'll both see soon."

"I think I might just avoid you." Henry murmured.

"That won't save you now, Henry. It won't save either of you. But don't worry. It won't hurt much." she shrugged. They both left her hastily, going to their own homes.

VHM

Vicki knocked on Henry's door and there was silence. The door opened and Henry looked at her. "Yes?" he glanced around the hall.

"Come on." she grabbed his hand.

"Where?" he frowned. She smiled.

"Mike's waiting for us. Come on."

"Where is Mike waiting for us?"

"I locked him in a closet." she picked a piece of fuzz from her shirt. He pulled back and tried to close the door, but she put her foot in the way. "If you try to close the door on my foot, I swear you'll be in a nice windowed room at dawn." her tone was teasing, but he still opened the door. "Now, shall we?" she gestured to the elevator down the hall. He sighed and closed the apartment door as he left with Vicki.

They walked a few blocks and came to an apartment building, where she led him to the third floor. She opened the door and they went in. Henry looked around and saw a closet. Mike was in it, he could hear him breathing. He opened the door and the detective came out.

"How'd she get you here?" Mike asked.

"Threatened me with sunlight. I assume this is your place?" Henry looked around. There was definately a theme to the livingroom. Even though Mike was a cop, he must've spent every spare cent on the tasteful decorations in light greens, medium purples and fire-reds.

"Casa de Celluci."

"As much as I enjoy you two having a conversation, down to business." Vicki sat on a red, leather couch and they looked at her. "Common number one, you both like the same artsy stuff."

"Artsy stuff?" Henry raised an eyebrow. She waved a hand to silence him.

"Yeah. Number two, Mike has all of your comics." Henry opened his mouth. "I don't give a damn what you prefer them to be called. They're comic books. He's read all of them, numerous times. As much as he won't admit it, he loves them. And while you haven't mentioned anything about his job, I have noticed a new character in your books." she pulled the latest edition of his comics from her tote-purse and flipped to a marked page. "This man acts, talks, hell even looks, like Mike and you paint him to be a hard-working man that is honest and a bit stupid, but good. You made a character for him and he reads your work. How about you two talk?"

Silence.

"What'dya say we lock her in the closet and go for wine and chinese?" Henry offered.

"Wine?" Mike was already grabbing Vicki's thrashing feet as Henry lifted her from the couch.

"I've never been a beer man."

"Okay." Mike shrugged. They closed and locked the closet before leaving. They went to Henry's and ordered in, spending most of the time in silence. About halfway through the second bottle of wine, they started talking.

"Hey, why did you become a cop?" Henry frowned.

"I liked it. My father was a cop and his father was a cop and I wanted to be just like them. For awhile I was. They met nice little italian girls that were quiet, but tough. I met Vicki. We were engaged once. Didn't work. She's not the commitment guru."

"I don't imagine she would be."

"And it's not even the father thing."

"Really?"

"No. After her father left, her mom moved them around until Vicki's senior year and Vic had just learned not to get close to people because they're always gone one day."

"Damn." the vampire sighed, taking another drink. Mike nodded.

"So, who is it that made you a vampire? And how many of the myths are true?"

"A woman I met, Christina. Vicki reminds me so much of her, it's almost frightening. I thought I was in love, I begged her to change me so we'd be together forever. She warned me there would be no chance of staying together. That two vampires couldn't live in the same territory. We were together just long enough for her to teach me how to be what I am. Then we turned on each other. I hopped around mostly. Then I came here about two centuries ago and settled in Toronto. It's been my home ever since. And most of the myths are a load of crap. I prefer not to eat garlic because it's disgusting, I am a very religious catholic, I don't sleep in a coffin on a pile of earth. That's just gross."

"I had hoped that one was false. I don't really wanna think of that lid swinging back and you rising all Dracula."

"Bram Stoker was a moron and Vlad Tepes was the savior of Transylvania."

"I know the sunlight thing's true. So, do you just have to stay in here all day or do you die at dawn?"

"I don't die. I sleep."

"What about the water thing?"

"I don't like water because I never learned to swim. But travelling on a boat is fine."

"And the stake in the heart thing?"

"Wouldn't you die if I shoved a piece of wood through your heart?"

"Well, yeah, but is it one of the only ways to kill your kind?"

"I don't think I'll reveal mothods on killing me." Henry raised an eyebrow.

"Right." Mike nodded.

"My turn again. Who is your favorite composer?"

"You mean like the music guys where there aren't any words?"

"Yeah."

"Can't stand any of them. Well, okay maybe a little Beethoven and Bach, but the rest are pointless."

"Beethoven and Bach, both wonderful people."

"You knew them?"

"No, but I once knew a girl who was sister to a violinist under Beethoven's instruction and apparently he wasn't too shy around the ladies." Henry smiled. Mike laughed.

"Who's your favorite painter?"

"VanGough."

"The whacco that cut off his ear?"

"Yeah, none too smart."

"I don't imagine he was."

"Favorite tv show?"

"Family Guy." Mike smiled. Henry looked at him a moment before shaking his head and beaming.

"Stewie is not right."

"No, no he's not."

A comfortable silence fell for a few minutes, then..."Fuck." Henry sighed.

"What?" Mike looked around.

"It's almost dawn. You should probably get home and let Vicki out."

"Yeah." Mike nodded. He and Henry got up. "We'll have to lock her in the closet again soon. This was better than fighting."

"I think you've had too much if you're freely admitting that." Henry smirked. Mike nodded and left Henry to go to sleep.

VHM

Vicki glared at the two men on the black couch in Henry's apartment. "You locked me in a closet all night!"

"You've said that twenty times, can we move on? Henry and I aren't fighting anymore." Mike shrugged.

"Well, good for you. I had to explain to Coreen why I had fallen asleep on a hanger that left a mark on my face nearly all day."

"But we're getting along."

"UGH! You're united AGAINST me now."

"Yes." they answered together.

"Fine. Whatever. But I am SO not losing the fights now just cause you're all buddy buddy."

"Us against you? I don't favor our odds at all." Mike smiled. Henry smirked.

"Don't you start with me, Michael Donniver!" she crossed her arms.

"Donniver?" Henry snorted.

"Hers is Dorotheia."

"Dorotheia?"

"Atleast we have middle names, you prehistoric prick."

"My time is well-documented."

"In what, your comics?" she smirked.

"Graphic novels." Henry lifted his chin proudly.

"Doodles!"

"Artistic expression."

"Stop arguing." Mike smiled. They looked at him and laughed.

"Well, this is a new phase." she said. They nodded. "Are you two gonna keep doing things together? Cause I'm leaving if you are."

"But you wanted us to get along."

"Not this much."

"Wait. We are just on nice, conversation terms. We were on awkward silence terms. There's no middle ground." Henry shook his head.

"I know. But there should be."

"Like where? Me about to bite him and his gun aimed at me while we have tea?"

"That sounds nice." she nodded.

"Vicki Nelson, you're impossible. Welcome back."

"Can we fight again? I have a few comments that are just begging to snap."

"Like what?" Henry looked at him, insulted.

"Like, what's with the silk shirt? And you're not a red, you're a green. It does absolutely nothing for you. Next, how can you live five centuries and not learn to SWIM? It's ridiculous."

"I like this shirt. And I never needed to know how to swim. And what do you mean, I happen to think I look okay in red? Better in green, sure. But I look okay." for the first time, Vicki saw doubt flash across Henry's face.

"You look fine in red, he's just a freak about colors. He yelled at me for wearing yellow."

"You own yellow?" Henry looked at her.

"Not anymore. Apparently, it makes me look depressed."

"Yellow is one of the happiest colors."

"And Vicki in comparison to happy made her look depressed."

"Ah." Henry nodded. He looked at his shirt. "Do I really look bad? I've never gotten complaints before." he sounded upset. Vicki smiled.

"One comment and those centuries of self-worth go flying out the window."

"You don't look terrible, but green is better. Hell, grey is better. Grey. Now there's a color."

"Mike, I honestly never thought I'd see a day when you were judging a man's appearance based on the color of his shirt."

"What? I'm just making a comment."

"Here's a comment for you. You've got grey hairs." Vicki smiled.

"Atleast I'm not blonde!"

"Atleast I'm not a bigot!"

"Atleast I'm not ghostbusters inc.!"

"Atleast I'm not a nerd that reads comics religiously!"

"Atleast I'm not in love with a graphic novelist!"

"Since when?" she smirked. He looked at her, mouth gaping. "And they kicked me off debate team in high school."

"The point isn't to make your opponent shut up." Henry smiled. Vicki hadn't denied it...though neither had Celluci... "And stop picking on Mike."

"But it's fun." she shrugged.

"It's mean and pointless and you know it."

"So?"

"So, be nice. Now you're the one creating friction in our trio."

"Yeah, well, you shouldn't have locked me in a closet when we were creating this threesome." she went back to her argument. Both men rolled their eyes.

VHM

Henry sat up with a gasp of air and laid back down. He'd fallen asleep thinking of Vicki and Mike and his day-time dreams were haunted with them. Why had Mike responded the way he had? Why hadn't he said Vicki was wrong? And she hadn't corrected Mike either. What was going on? He shook his head and went through his nightly rituals. Shower, shave, clothes. He pulled on a green shirt and looked at himself in the mirror. He did look better...

He went into his drawing area and worked on his next edition for awhile. There was a knock on the door and he recognized Mike's scent. "It's open, Mike."

The door opened and closed and the detective stopped on the other side of the room seperator. "Is it okay to come in or are you working?" he sounded hesitant and his heart was beating faster than normal. Henry went out and looked at him.

"What's wrong?"

"Wrong? Nothing." Mike shook his head. Henry gestured to the couch. "Vicki-uh...sure is delicate about things, isn't she?" he swung his arms loosely, clapping the side of his fist to his palm in front of him. Henry nodded.

"What is it? What's on your mind?" Henry had expected Mike to confront him about the matter, but not so soon. Maybe there was less Vicki in him than the vampire thought.

"Well, i-it's about what Vicki said..." he stopped.

"The since when?"

"Yeah." Mike took a deep breath and let it out shakily. "She-she had no right saying that. It was...totally preposterous. I mean-you, a vampire, and me, a cop? She's really fallen off her rocker this time." he grinned slowly, trying to sound believable. Henry kept his face neutral, even as he felt something in his gut fall. Suddenly, the world didn't seem so bright.

"Yeah, she must've had a little too much at the local bar before nightfall." he shrugged, smiling pleasantly. Mike nodded.

"Now that that's cleared up. I have night shift at work. See ya." he left. Henry went back into his drawing studio and continued on the comic as if nothing had happened.

VHM

"...the list of similarities just goes on and...Henry?" Vicki waved a hand in his face. He looked at her. "That's the third time tonight. What's wrong?" she frowned. He shook his head.

"Thinking of something else."

"You okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Okay." she let it go, seeing he wouldn't budge. Coreen came in. "Hey, you find anything?"

"No. There isn't anything on supernatural woman-snatchers."

"Uh, is there a patern?" Henry asked. Vicki looked at him.

"Yes. I just told you...nevermind. Here." she handed him pictures of the women. He looked over them.

"Light brown, maybe blonde, hair. Hazel or green eyes."

"Okay. Any other similarities?"

"Loners, sort of. Early thirties, not married, no kids."

"Vicki, don't you think this sounds a LITTLE like you?" he sighed.

"All the more reason to stop whatever it is."

"Why are we thinking creature instead of human?"

"Because there were symbols at each womans home and Dr. Sagara said they weren't demonic. We've been over this."

"Right. Sorry, my head is somewhere else."

"Like where? Vicki could very well be the next one they go after." Coreen seemed a tad bit upset.

"I know. Get off my case. Vicki, has anyone been following you?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Positive."

"Anything odd?"

"No." Vicki sighed. The phone rang. "Nelson investigations."

"Vic? You're okay? Thank...where are you?"

"The office, why?"

"There was a drowning. The description...I thought it..." his voice cut off. Henry was looking at the phone, alert, having heard every word.

"I'm fine. But it might be someone I'm looking for. Where is it?" she took down the adrress and hung up. "Who's driving?"

"I will." Henry sighed. They went to the scene and Mike was waiting. He looked at Henry a moment and then at Vicki.

"This way." he led her around the back of the house and they looked at the body floating in the pool. Dave approached them.

"Mike, what are you doing, bringing civilians to a crime scene?" he asked.

"That's Deborah Mitchells. She was one of ours." Vicki nodded, pulling out one of the files from her purse.

"One of yours?" the detective asked.

"Yeah. PI, remember. She was a missing person." Vicki explained. He walked off, rolling his eyes.

"Great. So you know all the contact information. Any clue what's going on?" Mike frowned.

"No. But we've got six different women missing, other than Ms. Mitchells. The one taking them is a creature, not human."

"It's profiling women that look like that."

"So, it's profiling women that look like Vicki and it kills by drowning?"

"If this is the things M.O." Vicki nodded.

"Get off the case." Mike instructed. She glared at him.

"I can take care of myself."

"Sure you can." he rolled his eyes.

"And wh..." she stopped, seeing something at the deep end of the pool. A head with green hair peeked out and looked at her. She just stared at it before it vanished.

"Vicki?" Coreen looked at the water.

"Water creature. Are there any water creatures?"

"Well...sirens, mermaids, mermen..."

"It was a guy."

"Where'd he go?" Mike looked at the water.

"He just vanished back into the water."

"Okay, I need a ride to the library." Coreen sighed.

"I'll take you." Mike walked away quickly, leaving the gothette to follow. Henry swore silently, watching them go.

"What's wrong? You and Mike get into a fight?"

"No." he shook his head.

"Come on, we can talk on the way to the next girls house." she linked her arm through his. He nodded. They went to the car and got in. On the drive, she looked at him. "Well?"

"It's nothing."

"Henry."

"Really, you'd think it was stupid."

"This is me, Henry. I'll keep bugging you until you tell me."

"He...he came over to my place last night and..." he stopped, clearing his throat.

"Did he try to hurt you?" she asked, concerned.

"I don't think so."

"What do you mean?"

"He probably didn't know he was hurting me."

"What did he do?"

"Nothing. He said...you'll think it's dumb."

"I give you my word, I will listen and won't judge you or whatever." she sighed.

"He...he said the idea of him and me was preposterous." he blinked back tears. Vicki was silent a moment.

"Pull over." she said. He looked at her. Her face was blank. He didn't pull over, looking back at the road. "Henry, pull over." she used her pissed tone.

"Fine." he pulled onto the side of the road and she unbuckled her seatbelt. He closed his eyes. She's going to leave now and never speak to me again. he mentally berated himself for telling her. He felt her eyes on him and sighed.

"Henry, he said that?" her voice was quiet, shocked. He looked at her and nodded. "And you like him? Like, for real?"

"Yes." he looked away from her.

"I'll kill him." she let out a stream of colorful language and he raised an eyebrow at her.

"Why?"

"Because, Henry, he hurt you. And what he said was cruel."

"He didn't know..."

"But he likes you. If he didn't, he wouldn't have bothered to come see you about it. So he lied to you, he hurt your feelings, and he kept secrets from me."

"Vicki..." he began.

"Don't worry, I won't kill him."

"Y'know, he's not exactly all alone in ignoring the feelings." he gave her a pointed glare.

"That hurts, Henry. You should know I couldn't live without you." she stroked his cheek gently. He leaned into the touch. "And, as much as Mike won't admit it, he likes you. He should've told me. We would've been able to figure something out. Mike doesn't like to venture outside of his circle of normalcy unless he knows he'll be safe."

"And you?"

"I know I'm safe. I just...since Norman came back, you seemed kind of...I dunno, you seemed kind of guarded around me." she shrugged.

"I...Vicki, did you think I..."

"I figured it put things in perspective for you and you just...didn't feel...that way..." she mumbled. He turned her to face him.

"No. I would never lose interest in you. I don't think it's possible." he smiled. He leaned forward and she let him kiss her. It was slow, as to not scare her away, she knew. A truck drove by and honked and she pulled back, blushing. Henry smiled. "And of course we get interrupted."

"Well, we do have work to do."

"Yeah, I know. And now that that thing has seen you, we have to work faster." he focused back on driving towards the house of one of the women. They got there and knocked on the front door. The friend staying at her house opened the door.

"Miss Nelson, hi."

"Hey. Was anyone following Christi? A green-haired guy?"

"I-I dunno." she shrugged.

"Is there a pool around back? Did she like to swim?"

"There's a hot tub."

"Is that where you saw her last?"

"Yeah." the friend nodded, confused now.

"Okay. You might wanna drain it. They just found another woman we think was taken by the same person in her pool, drowned."

"Okay." the friend rushed into the back and came back. "It's draining."

"Good. If she shows up, call us." they left and went to the other houses, telling the people staying there. They finally went to her place and saw Coreen and Mike pouring over an internet page.

"Michael Donniver Celluci!" Vicki strided over to him and sucker punched him in the jaw. He looked at her, shocked.

"Vicki!" Henry scolded. He grabbed her arms. She looked at him, her expression calm. Mike stood up.

"Whatever I did, I'm sorry."

"Don't you dare apologize to me! You apologize to Henry!"

"To Henry? Mike, what'd you do to Henry?" Coreen frowned.

"Uh, Coreen, you should probably not be here for this." Vicki sighed. Coreen pouted and left. "Henry, let me go."

"Promise you won't injure him or myself in any way shape or form."

"I promise I will TRY not to hurt you two."

"I suppose." he released her. She took a deep breath.

"Why'd you hit me?"

"Why'd you go to his place and lie to him?"

"Lie?" Mike went pink. He looked at Henry and then back at Vicki. He gave her a pointed look that meant "Not in front of him, please."

"Mike, you went to his penthouse and lied to his face, then you didn't tell me about it. You hurt his feelings, y'know? Honestly, it isn't preposterous. You two actually look good beside each other. You like each other, you both like me, I like both of you. We're all adults here. We can come to an agreement."

"An agreement? Like what? You get him half the week, I get him the other half? Vic, it doesn't work that way."

"Of course not. You have to split it three times, that way you and I aren't left out." she shrugged. Henry looked at her.

"Vicki, you're impossible."

"Stop saying that."

"Well, I'm not gonna..." Mike looked at Henry pointedly. Vicki smiled.

"Why not?"

"Why...VICKI!" he scolded.

"Fuck, Mike. It's not always about sex."

"Vicki, with you, it's never about sex." Henry mumbled.

"Not true."

"Sure it's not."

"Well fine, screw you, too. I'm going take a bath. You two talk, I'm going take a bath."

"Talk..." Mike began. She went into the bathroom and closed the door. While she was running the water, she pulled her hair down and brushed it, then pulled off her glasses. The world was made fuzzy and she sighed, pulling off her jacket. She could hear the guys talking, but didn't catch their words. While her ear was pressed against the door, she heard something from the tub. She looked up to see a man with green curls sitting in the tub. He held out a hand to her and a melodic sound filled the bathroom. She shook her head, trying to ignore it, and he smiled.

"_Vicki...come with me, safe with me, swim with me, love with me...never go away from me." _The words filled the bathroom like a mantra and the music grew louder, reminding her of the ocean. There was silence on the other side of the door, then Henry's voice.

"Vicki?" he knocked on the door. She tried to turn towards his voice, but...the music caught a hitch when Henry knocked, then began faster than before. She took a step towards the tub and the creature inside of it. He nodded once, both hands extended to her. Another step. "Vicki?"

"_...come with me, safe with me, swim with me, love with me, never go away from me...come with me..." _the song continued, drowning out Henry's voice and the banging on the door. She was three steps from the creatures outstretched hands when the door opened. The creature vanished and Vicki fell to the ground, unconcious. Henry picked her up and looked at Mike.

"Did you and Coreen find anything on the computer?"

"He's a merman. They try to take human brides."

"And he's got a thing for Vicki-like women." Henry nodded.

"They turn the women into mermaids and they can only demand to be returned after they have children."

"Right." Henry nodded. He turned off the water and pulled the plug. "She's gonna be pissed when we tell her she's not allowed to take baths."

"Yeah." Mike nodded. He looked at the vampire and then looked away.

"It's almost dawn, I have to go." Henry handed Vicki to Mike. "I'll see you two tomorrow." with that, he left and Mike tucked Vicki in her bed.

VHM

Henry knocked on Vicki's door and the PI opened it. "I hate taking showers. Baths are so much more comfortable." she whined, letting him in.

"Well, I'd prefer if you didn't get snatched by a merman, thank you." he kissed her forehead. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine. Mike's taking a nap, he was awake half the day making sure I didn't have water anywhere in the apartment."

"Kay." he nodded. He looked into the room and saw Mike asleep on the bed, hair falling onto his face. Coreen came in the office and looked at him.

"Hey, Henry." she smiled. She handed Vicki a coffee and sat at the computer. "So, you have a vampire, a cop, an incubus, and a demon out to get you. What are you going to attract next?" she joked.

"The voodoo priestess to take your mouth again."

"I swear, you two act like sisters more and more every day." Henry smiled. Vicki crossed her eyes at him and Coreen stuck her tongue out. He laughed, careful to make sure the volume didn't wake Mike. "What's on the agenda?"

"Have you fed?"

"Before I came over." he nodded.

"Okay. Well, we could go to the houses and see if bodies turn up." Vicki shrugged.

"Bodies?"

"We haven't been able to pin-point the exact location of the merman. He's gotta have one specific place he's going, but..." Coreen shrugged. Henry nodded.

"Well, I came up with an idea to find it, but SOMEONE says it's too dangerous." Vicki looked at Coreen pointedly.

"And you know it's a bad idea, too, otherwise you wouldn't have waited until Mike was asleep to tell me." Coreen glared at her.

"What's the plan?"

"We could put a tracker on me, then..."

"No." he said.

"Why not? That woman didn't turn up in the pool until a WEEK after she was taken. That gives you guys a week to look at a little screen that gives my location."

"And what if he kills you?"

"Why would he?"

"Have you met yourself?" Coreen mumbled.

"Wusgonon?" Mike stumbled out of the bedroom. They looked at him.

"Vicki wants us to put a tracker on her and give her up to the merman." Henry said.

"No." Mike took Vicki's coffe and she made a sound.

"Mine." she took it back. Henry smiled.

"I'll go out and get you one." he said. Mike nodded, blinking tiredly, and Henry left.

"It would be fine, Mike. Really." Vicki shrugged.

"No. It would be bad." he mumbled. He laid down on the couch, trying to stay awake and comfortable. Minutes later, Henry came back with a coffee and handed it to the detective. "Thank you, you wonderful man." Mike began draining the cup.

"I take it your problem is cleared up?" Coreen asked.

"Uh...not exactly." Henry and Mike exchanged a look.

"What is it exactly?"

"We-ah...we're working on it."

"Why doesn't anyone tell me anything?"

"Because you're nineteen." Mike shrugged.

"So? Henry, technically, is seventeen."

"Oh, GREAT!" Mike rested his head on his hand, sighing. Henry rolled his eyes.

"Problem?"

"You're SEVENTEEN!"

"I'm 471."

"But you haven't aged since you were SE..."

"Drop it." Henry shook his head, tone blank of emotion. Mike frowned guiltily.

"I-I'm sorry, but this is..."

"New, I know. It's okay." Henry shrugged.

"What are you talking about?" Coreen frowned.

"Nothing, Coreen." Vicki sighed. "Any ideas other than mine?"

"No. Okay, heads together." they began bouncing ideas off of each other and didn't notice when Vicki started looking off in space, hearing the ocean and the mantra'd song from the night before.

"_...come with me, safe with me, swim with me, love with me, never go away from me...come with me, safe with me, swim with me..." _the words swam through her mind and she stood up, heading towards the door. Henry looked at her.

"Vicki?"

_"...love with me, never go away from me...come with me..."_ The song grew louder.

"Vicki?" Mike stood. Coreen watched her, shocked, as she tried to leave the office. Her hand moved up and grabbed the doorknob and Henry picked her up.

_"...safe with me, swim with me, love with me, never go away from me..."_

"Vicki?" he asked. He set her in a chair and kneeled in front of her. Her eyes were vacant and transe-like. Mike took the floor beside him, staring at her.

"Vic?"

_"...come with me, safe with me, swim with me, love with me, never go away from me..."_

"Vicki?" Henry shook her arm gently. He snapped in front of her face a frew times and she blinked. She finally looked at him, awareness in her eyes. "What was it?"

"The song. He was calling from...come on." she stood up and grabbed her jacket. They followed her outside. "This way." she started down the street and Henry grabbed her hand.

"Car." he said. They all got in his silver car and Vicki gave him directions, trying to feel the pull as strongly as she had.

"This right. Now a left...there, stop." she tried to jump out of the car the second it stopped, but three hands held her seatbelt in place.

"Hold your horses, Vic." Mike sighed.

They were parked in front of a lake. "Hey, this is where all of the college frats have their pledges jump in. It's freezing." Coreen said. They looked at her. "Ian's brother was a frat boy."

"Right." Vicki nodded. She felt eyes watching her and looked out at the lake. A man was sitting on the edge, hair in green curls, with his tail half-in the water. The others followed her gaze and saw him.

"Wow." Coreen stared at the merman, enthralled. He just stared at Vicki, studying her.

"If one of you is with me, he's going to vanish again." the PI bit her lip.

"He shouldn't be after you."

"Let me go ask him where the other girls are, if they're safe, why he's after them."

"He's searching for a bride." Coreen sighed.

"Okay. Well, then, why he's profiling and stuff like that." she reached for the seatbelt. Mike's hand covered hers and she looked at him.

"Someone needs to go with you, Vic. I don't want you getting close to it."

"Mike, he's not gonna kill me if he's looking for a bride."

"But he might take you."

"Right. You all know I'm too annoying to keep for long."

"I would never say that." Henry smiled. Coreen tapped his shoulder and pointed towards the lake. He looked back and saw the merman had stood up and his fin had changed to legs. He was approaching the car. Henry unbuckled his own seatbelt and Mike set a hand on his shoulder, watching the creature get closer. "Mike, it's a fish." he sounded amused.

"A fish that's killed." Mike shrugged.

"Vicki." the man was right in front of the car now.

"Push the gas." Coreen said. Vicki didn't say anything, hand struggling under Mike's to unclasp the restraint holding her. The man moved around the side of the car to her door, looking in it at them. His eyes were an unnatural clear-blue.

"Vicki, come with me." he set a hand on the window, flat-palmed. His eyes bore into hers. She reached a hand up and placed her palm over his. He smirked and turned his gaze on Coreen. She looked at him and grabbed Mike's arm, trying to get him to loosen his grip on Vicki's hand. Henry pulled Vicki's hand from the window and she looked at him.

"The other women are dead." she said matter-of-factly. He nodded and Coreen finally pried Mike's hand from Vicki's. Henry's replaced it and he glared at the gothette.

"Snap out of it." he ordered. She seemed to come out of her transe and looked at Mike.

"What happened?"

"It took control of you." the detective explained. She nodded. "Vic, Henry, you two okay?"

"Fine."

"Vicki." the green-haired man was leaning over, looking into the car at her. She turned and Henry wrapped an arm around her waist. "Vicki, why won't you join me?"

"Leave her alone." Henry glared at him. The merman returned the look of abhorance and smirked.

"A vampire? Well, little Vicki. You do have quite an impressive body guard."

"Little?" she frowned.

"Tiny. Small. Young." the man shrugged.

"Yeah, well, atleast I'm not a fish." she shot. His eyes swirled clear and his teeth grew to spikes.

"What did you say to me?!" he spat. She smirked.

"I always wanted to pick on someone this way." she began making fish-faces at the merman and he was slowly turning green. Henry bit back a smile.

"Vicki." Mike was beaming. She looked at him.

"What? It's fun. And I can't get in trouble for it." she shrugged childishly.

"Vicki, you're impossible." Henry was watching the green, scaling merman carefully. He put his hand against the glass again, but the fingers were webbed together now. A jolt of electricity shot through the glass and it shattered. Henry tried to pull Vicki closer, but the merman was quicker and pulled her out the window, the seatbelt snapping. Henry chased them to the shore where Mike stopped him. The merman had carried Vicki out a way and he watched as she dissapeared into the water.

"You can't swim. You can't help if you're dead."

"I have to try..."

"And we will try. But you aren't drowning." Mike pulled the vampire back to the car and they sat on the hood with Coreen pacing.

"What do we do?"

Meanwhile, Vicki and the merman were in a cave-like space. There was water covering most of the floor, just a small area in the center was land. She was on the small island while he swam around her, trying to calm himself.

"Well, Vicki, what do you think of my humble abode?" he asked finally.

"Little too water-focused for my tastes. Why are you after women that look like me?"

"To find a bride."

"Yeah, I know that part. But why profile?"

"Why not? You look like a girl I used to know."

"Great. Wonderful. I don't wanna be a mermaid."

"You don't have a choice. I chose you."

"What about the other women you took?"

"They were weak. If you're weak, I will replace you, as well."

"And weak is?"

"You'll see later." he swam away and she swore, wishing it weren't so dark.

"I have to start listening to the boys when they tell me to drop a case."

Back on land, Coreen was on the phone with Dr. Sagara. Mike and Henry were both trying to catch the brainiac's conversation.

"...and he...okay...right...but, no...he got upset when she...right..." was a small snippet. Mike looked at Henry.

"You okay?"

"Me? I'm not the one that just got taken by a fucking fish." Henry leaned back against the windshield and covered his face. Mike watched him. His curls were tangled from the number of times he'd run his fingers through it and his ears were red. They did that, the detective guessed, when he was stressed. Henry moved his hands and looked back at Mike. "What?"

"Your ears are red."

"And your skin is tan. Is there a point?"

"Funny." Mike sighed. Coreen hung up and looked at them. They stared at her questioningly.

"Dr. Sagara says that the merman will only release Vicki in exchange for something."

"In exchange for something? Like what, the world?" Mike snapped.

"No. Mermaids value shiny things. Their male counterparts are the same way. They also treasure wisdom and wit."

"Wisdom, wit, and shiny. Right. How good are you at riddles, detective?"

"I've got a few up my sleeve." Mike shrugged.

"Okay. Coreen, I've got a bunch of shiny stuff in the spare room at my place, could you?" Henry offered her the keys. She nodded and left. "What do you have?"

"Okay. One day I was going to Humbers when I met seven men with..."

In the cave, Vicki was drumming her fingers on the island, bored. The merman popped out of the water in front of her. "Come in." he said. She looked at the water.

"It's too cold." she dismissed his request. He stared at her.

"..._come with me, safe with me, swim with me..."_ the song filled the cave and he held a hand out to her. She dipped into the water, not touching him, and he smiled.

"Not that cold, see?"

"It's freezing." she felt her teeth chattering. He opened his mouth to reply, then felt someone in the water near shore. He pulled her close to himself and they swam out under the cave and towards land. He stopped a while short of it, seeing Henry and Mike.

"What?"

"We want to trade you for Vicki." Mike said. Henry nodded.

"What do you have that could replace a bride?"

"A riddle and some shinies." Henry opened the bag he was holding and the moonlight glimmered against the treasures. The merman smiled, then glanced at Vicki.

"You can only have her back if I get the riddle wrong."

"Of course." Mike nodded. Vicki looked at the two men wide-eyed. Henry was waist deep in the water. Mike wasn't much closer.

"I get the shinies now, though."

"Sure." Henry held out the bag and the merman pulled Vicki closer to shore. He took the bag and Vicki glanced between Henry and Mike.

"Now, the riddle?"

"Right. What's green, hangs on a wall, and whistles?" Mike smiled. Vicki rolled her eyes and waited for the merman's reply. He frowned in confusion and Henry pulled Vicki to himself. "I'll give you the answer if you promise to leave."

"But...there isn't anything...oh, fine." the merman crossed his arms. Henry had already taken Vicki to shore and returned to Mike's side.

"A herring." Mike shrugged. The merman glared at him.

"A herring isn't green."

"It is if you paint it green." Mike smiled.

"It doesn't hang on a wall."

"It will if you nail it there." Henry chuckled.

"It doesn't whistle!"

"Didn't want it to be too obvious." the boys mimed each other. The merman glared at them and vanished into the water. They went to shore where Coreen had Vicki wrapped in a blanket. The assistant put one around each guys shoulders.

"I can't believe you used that stupid riddle." Vicki smiled.

"It worked." Henry shrugged. They got into his car and everyone went back to Vicki's place.

VHM

Vicki scrunched up on the bed, not wanting to get up to answer the door. There was another knock. "Vicki?" it was Henry. She heard Mike groan and sneeze beside her.

"Cub id!" she yelled. The door opened and closed and the vampire came into the bedroom.

"What happened?" he looked at both of their red noses, the mounds of kleenex, and the bottles of medacine.

"Be cod a code(We caught a cold)." Mike whined. Henry looked from one face to the other and laughed. "Iz dot fuddy!(It's not funny)"

"I don't know. Who's dot?" the vampire laughed. Vicki threw a pillow at him, sniffling. "I'm sorry. That's incredibly insensitive of me. How about I make you two some chicken soup and get you coffee?" he sighed. Vicki nudged Mike.

"Tode you dare wuzza reasod be kebt 'im roud.(Told you there was a reason we kept him around)" she joked.

"I duppode. Be dubb-u, 'Edwy!(I suppose. We love you, Henry)" Mike managed. Henry smiled at them. Vicki smiled at him a moment.

"Bare's dy zoop?(Where's my soup)" she demanded. He smiled.

"Vicki, you're..." he began.

"Ippodibble." Mike finished with a sneeze. They all grinned at each other.


End file.
